What is a Data Manager?
Data managers are vital roles for any organisation that produces or uses large amounts of data and is becoming an increasingly utilised role across a wide variety of industries. Data managers oversee any and all data systems and are responsible for storing, analysing, organising and protecting that data.
Popular Data Management Tools
Panoply
Panoply is an automated data warehouse that facilitates integration and management of data
Amazon Web Services
Offers bespoke tools and applications that allow effective cloud data management
Microsoft Azure
Microsoft’s Azure platform accommodates standard SQL databases and VM-based SQL servers
Google Cloud
Google offers a cloud platform that is both for cloud-based data management and workflow management
What Kind of Skills do Data Managers Need?
Data managers are usually required to have at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science, IT, systems engineering or a related field, and for many roles, a master’s degree is required. Experience is a very desirable asset alongside a proven track record of hard and soft skills.
Data Manager Technical Skills:
Data managers need to be able to understand the ins and outs of the data storage system used by their organisation. To do this they need to be familiar with:
- Data modelling
- Data warehousing
- Data mining
- Data integration
- Knowledge of database architectures
- Some knowledge of programming languages like PERL, Python, SQL, XML, Java and others
Data managers will also benefit from a firm understanding of Business Intelligence and Analytics, including:
- Predictive forecasting
- Reporting and querying
- Statistical optimisation and governance
- Familiarity with cloud software
Data Manager soft skills:
Data managers need to be able to combine their technical understanding of the company’s data usage with soft skills that enable teamwork, these include:
- Good communication skills
- Desire to keep learning about new technologies
- Analytical mindset
What Certifications Can Data Managers Get?
Gaining an additional certification in a programming language or networking platform will help a Data Manager grow in their position, some notable certifications include:
- Oracle DBA Certified Master Professional
- Teradata Certified Master
- IBM DB2 Universal Database Certified Solutions Expert
What Are the Different Types of Data Manager Jobs?
Data management roles have developed over the past years to encompass the increasing importance of data storage and analysis for many industries. Some of the other data management roles include:
- Research Data Manager
- Data Management Specialist
- Data Manager
- Data Management Consultant
- Master Data Manager
- Data Quality Analyst
